Switching to a new career was quite intimidating for me at a point. The obstacles looked so real and enormous that I thought, “There is no way I’m switching to tech.”
Wanna know about my 5 enormous obstacles? Let’s dive in.
#Obstacle 1: Where to start.
This obstacle didn’t last long. I had a friend who gave me books to read, but I got confused about where to start my learning.
What I did:
I reached out to people for help; I got someone who explained the basics to me and the confusion vanished in no time.
#Obstacle 2: Money to buy courses, tutorials and books.
I was a student with a low allowance and I got worried about how to pay for courses.
What I did:
I started out with what was available (free materials) then I built minor projects with what I was learning and started applying for boot camps. I was also on the lookout for giveaways on paid courses, tutorials and books. In addition, I interacted with people and this earned me some resources I could never have afforded.
#Obstacle 3: Dealing with too much information.
This wasn’t the worst stage for me, but I felt so tormented by this obstacle. There was too much of information about what I was learning, some were contradictory and confusing at the same time.
What I did:
I searched for online communities, which I joined. I found some Slack channels; I began interacting to gain more insight. I also took my Twitter interactions seriously, spotted excellent developers, followed them and looked into resources recommended by them. I’m proud to say that
most of the resources that made be a better developer today were from Twitter.
#Obstacle 4: Dealing with frustration.
This is a common issue among developers. Searching for bugs for hours, or trying to understand how things work can be frustrating. Many times I feel frustrated and want to give up; I blame myself for delving into tech and not sticking to just teaching biology in a classroom 😂.
What I do:
Well, I have learnt to take breaks when I get frustrated. I walk away from my computer; I take cold drinks sometimes, cold baths are helpful too, or I take a quick nap to relax my body.
#Obstacle 5: Dealing with impostor syndrome.
This is the biggest of them all and most reoccurring. Impostor syndrome is a big killer of one’s joy. When I’m at this stage, I feel like a dull person. I feel like I don’t fit into a tech career at all, “I’m just playing here and would never make it to the top.”
What I do:
Once, when I was feeling down from this obstacle, I spoke with a friend who shared his trick. The idea was to write, on a piece of paper, all I know now and then cross out what I didn’t know, 6 months to 1 year ago, from the list. I usually end up with a long list of “crossed out” personal achievements, even though I sometimes forget to add some. Seeing a list of all I have accomplished recently makes me smile again and energizes me.